I just filed my H-1B application. What are the next steps in the H-1B process? Some things to know about the new H-1B work visa rule.

PART I – What is the H-1B process?

The March Madness fever extends to April, as H-1B season arrives. With the recent news of the temporary suspension of premium processing for H-1B applications (typically filed during the first week of April), the anxiety level in the immigrant worker community, particularly in the tech industry, has skyrocketed.

If you just filed your H-1B visa application, you’re probably wondering what to expect and the next steps in the process. This post summarizes the H-1B process and how the new law can help immigrant workers.

What is the H-1B process?The H-1B Visa is a visa for foreign nationals with a bachelor's degree (or its equivalent work experience) and a U.S. employer that will hire this person in a specialty occupation, including fashion models of distinguished merit & ability (Melania Trump reportedly got her citizenship through this process) and those working for Department of Defense projects. The petitioning U.S. employer must demonstrate that the worker will be paid the actual or prevailing wage.

The process starts with the petitioning U.S. employer filing an application requesting a visa be granted to the foreign worker. This application includes documentation regarding the applicant’s educational and professional background, as well as a certification from the U.S. Department of Labor showing that the employment of the foreign worker will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of U.S. workers.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) typically begins accepting H-1B applications in the first week of April. Due to the extremely high number of applications annually received by USCIS, applications for merits review are selected through a computer-generated random selection process. This lottery helps USCIS to select enough petitions to meet the 65,000 general-category (Bachelor’s) cap and the 20,000 cap under the advanced degree (Master’s) exemption. Those not selected are out of luck, but may apply again the following year.

Who are not subject to the cap?There are several categories of individuals that are not subject to the cap and in turn, the lottery. This includes H-1B workers who are petitioned for or employed at an institution of higher education or its affiliated or related nonprofit entities or a nonprofit research organization, or a government research organization. Foreign nationals in H-1B (and H-2B nonimmigrant) classifications who are admitted to perform labor and services in the CNMI and Guam are exempt from the H-1B cap and H-2B cap from Nov. 28, 2009, to Dec. 31, 2019.

If the petition is approved for a foreign worker already in the U.S., they will receive an approval notice and an updated I-94 showing their authorized period of stay. If the foreign worker is abroad, then they must undergo consular processing to obtain their visa documentation that will allow them to enter the U.S. Family members may also be included in the petition.

Rasoulpour Torregoza is the law firm for immigrants, by immigrants. We are founded on the motto of LegalEase: we do away with the legal jargon and make law easy to understand, so you can focus on what’s important to you – going for your American Dream.Contact us at (888) 445-7066 or info@legalease.us. We are also on social media and on Skype: @LegalEaseUS. ||www.LegalEase.usThis website and blog constitute attorney advertising. Do not consider anything on this website or blog legal advice as the law is dynamic, particularly in the immigration field and nothing in this website constitutes an attorney-client relationship being formed. Set up a one-hour consultation with us before acting on anything you read here. Past results are no guarantee of future results and prior results do not imply or predict future results. Each case is different and must be judged on its own merits.

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This website and blog constitute attorney advertising. Do not consider anything on this website or blog legal advice as the law is dynamic, particularly n the immigration field and nothing in this website constitutes an attorney-client relationship being formed. Set up a one-hour consultation with us before acting on anything you read here. Past results are no guarantee of future results and prior results do not imply or predict future results. Each case is different and must be judged on its own merits.